'Cannonball' rolls down the coast

It took just minutes for a large crowd to gather at Main and Laurel Saturday, as the first of more than 40 motorcycles arrived to park at the Depot Mall.

The Coast to Coast Cannonball Endurance Run started out with 69 pre-1930 bikes leaving Newburgh, N.Y. on Sept. 7. According to the final tally on the Cannonball website, 22 bikes didn't make it to the Golden Gate Bridge finish line on Sept. 23.

Locals are used to seeing rallies, traveling caravans and groups of vehicles as they make their way down Coast Highway 1. However, this group deserved the attention for two reasons: The newest bike in the group was made in 1929 and all had been ridden from the east coast. Some showed signs of roadside repairs, such as wires and toggle switches taped to frames while others smoked, backfired and had trouble starting. The rear half of one cycle glistened in the sun from being covered in gear oil, the result of an unknown previous malfunction.

For almost two hours, crowds of onlookers and photographers milled around the group of bikes before riders saddled up and headed south.

The rally was not a race, and scores depended on miles logged, rather than speed or time.

Brad Wilmarth, of Virginia, posted the top score, having ridden all 3,956 miles and reached all checkpoints. Wilmarth placed first in the Cannonball in 2010.

A full list of the bikes, riders and other information can be found at www.motorcyclecannonball.com. Find more photos from the Fort Bragg stop on our Facebook page.